


Skin

by ShadowsOffense



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 22:19:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2126610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOffense/pseuds/ShadowsOffense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isabela is a selkie.  She needs a favor because she does not stay in Kirkwall by choice.  </p><p>Hawke does not have to stay at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skin

_Why do it Isabela? Why did you need the relic so badly? If Castillon comes for you, we’ll handle it._

_He... has something of mine, Hawke._

_It’s important, I gather._

_It’s everything._  


* * *

In retrospect, it made sense. Why Isabela had worked for Castillon in the first place. Why she had been stuck in Kirkwall. Why she had acted as if the sea was closed to her when there had been dozens of opportunities for an experienced pirate to steal a ship or slip away on one and flee beyond a single man’s influence. It all made sense.

Why she had _stayed._

“Hawke.” Isabela’s face was painted with a foreign mix of vulnerability and pleading. Her eyes latched on to the object in Hawke’s hands and held.

It was pale brown. Soft. Like the velvety baby-fur of Carrow when the squirming puppy had first been placed in her arms. He picked up on Hawke’s distress now and whined, pressing himself against the back of her legs.

“Hawke, please.”

A shudder ran through Hawke’s frame. She felt chilled, feverish. When she spoke, her voice sounded hollow, missing a key aspect of life. “If I give you this, you’ll go.”

Isabela said nothing, a little of the hope on her face dying. 

Hawke looked at the corpse at her feet. “Damn you,” she snarled at him. And damn Isabela’s deceased husband too. “Here.” She shoved the seal skin into the pirate’s arms. Tears burned hot in her eyes and throat and she forced herself to laugh. “At least I know why you always wear such skimpy things now; this is barely large enough to be called a dress.”

“I...” there was an apology in Isabela’s eyes and Hawke turned away, setting one hand on Carrow’s head.

“Don’t.” Her voice broke. “Just don’t.”

“Listen to me-”

“You’re leaving.”

“You don’t have to stay!”

“I, what?” Hawke turned back around, blinking in surprise as she realized how close the pirate was standing.

Isabela looked down at the skin –her skin- in her hands. “No one has held this and not used it against me, to control me.” She met Hawke’s gaze. “I’ll get a ship, you can come with me. I don’t spend all of my time in animal form you know,” her voice rose teasingly.

Hawke blinked at her, stunned into silence.

“I’m rubbish at this, aren’t I?” Isabela shifted, crossing her arms defensively against her chest, hugging her fur to her. “Look, I just...”

“Yes.”

Isabela ducked her head. “Yes, I’m rubbish at this?”

Hawke laughed. “That too. But, yes, I’ll go with you. Just... promise me one thing?”

“Name it.”  


* * *

_Promise you won’t run off and break my heart?_

_I won’t if you don’t give me a reason to._


End file.
